The Teacher
by RMoors
Summary: It's 1986 and through a series of lies Remus has got himself a job as a teacher at his local primary school. Unbeknownst to him, this happens to be the school that (you guessed it!) a young and isolated Harry Potter attends with his thuggish cousin, Dudley. Can Remus and Harry save each other from loneliness or will the fragile world Remus has built for himself come crumbling down?
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** _Hello readership, thanks for giving this a go. This is sort of a teaser chapter just to test the water a bit, so please do let me know what you think; your input is massively important to me. This is an AU story for obvious reasons. Also, Sirius may pop up at some point but this won't be slash just to warn you. JK owns all, including me. Hope you enjoy it!_

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The joints in Remus' knees creaked as he forced himself up the next staircase, leaning heavily on the handrail that was on the verge of coming out of the wall. _One more flight, _he told himself, gritting his teeth. It was getting worse, he was certain. Every month he did this walk and every time it was worse.

First there was the painful shock of consciousness, followed by ten minutes of desperately willing his tired body to get up off the frigid concrete and put some clothes on. Once that was done, he'd stumble out into the seemingly blinding light of the dull, grey morning, locking the metal door behind him. He'd discovered the disused concrete building when he'd first moved into the area and it had proved invaluable. It was set a little way from the reclaimed council estate he lived on and used to be where the generator, circuit boards and other stuff with lots of wires (he didn't claim to be an expert on what exactly these were) were kept and was consequently covered in bright yellow stickers warning people to keep out. The generator was long gone now though, so with a few added wards the place was safe to transform in without danger of escape, discovery or electrocution.

After sneaking out, he'd then walk past the young lads who sat on the low wall outside the estate smoking and throwing dark looks at him before he reached the graffiti covered stairwell. Then there were the flights upon flights of increasingly insurmountable stairs and then finally, _finally_ the comparative heaven that was Remus' flat.

It was a one-bedroom affair with a small dingy kitchen, a living room furnished with previous tenants unwanted furniture and a lightly moulding bathroom. Remus called it minimalist when he was feeling generous; a shit hole when he wasn't. But it was home and that was what really mattered. It was somewhere to sleep and eat and that's all he really needed.

He'd been living in the muggle world for a while. It was better than the constant pitying glances or the suspicious looks when he missed yet another day of work. Here, he was nobody, just that shabby looking bloke who lives at number 115. He liked it that way.

But there was no escaping the fact that he was impoverished. He'd gotten jobs, he'd lost jobs, same as always but this had been a long period of unemployment even by his fairly low standards. Qualifications, that was the problem. He had a rather impressive set of them but unfortunately none that could be applied in the muggle world, so consequently it was dead end jobs or nothing. It was infinitely frustrating. Day in, day out, he would wake up at 7.30, go to some unrewarding , unstimulating ball ache of a job and spend the next eight hours stacking shelves, or assembling parts, or flipping burgers in some undignified uniform that would have had James cackling in delight. He was _bored. _And worse than that, he had no one to share that boredom with.

Which was why, when his grandmother, a muggle, suggested he did something with himself and become a teacher or something (she'd also suggested fireman, doctor, lawyer, priest and astronaut. Privately, Remus thought she just wanted him to stop coming to her house, eating all her chocolate and complaining about work. He couldn't really blame her. He bored himself), he leapt at the idea. He was good with children, patient and knew the basics. It was a job that carried a reward beyond money. It was a new start.

So he lied. He applied for a job and he lied. According to his application he had: nine O levels; seven at A, two at B; Three A levels; all at an A grade; a second-class degree from the University of Bristol in history and had also achieved Qualified Teacher Status. It was all absolute bollocks and he loved it. It sparked a feeling of gnawing excitement deep inside him that he hadn't felt since he, Sirius, James and Peter had been causing mayhem in Hogwarts. Of course, it required forgeries of many documents, all of which was not only hugely illegal but also completely immoral and, if he were caught, would lead to prison and accusations far worse than 'werewolf'.

But he wouldn't be caught because he was _good_ at that sort of thing. It shamed him to say it, and he in no way meant it as a boast, but he was a _brilliant_ liar. He could lie for England. Sirius… no_, Black, _he reminded himself… had told him it was the lethal combination of his soft Yorkishire accent and his ability to look earnest whilst telling the most barefaced of lies. It had gotten them out of trouble on countless occasions, solely because the teachers seemed to find it inconceivable that Remus Lupin, Gryffindor prefect, would lie to them. And it was for that reason that Remus knew he could and would get away with it. So he forged his documents and applied for a job.

He'd gotten to the interview stage much to his delight and fared well, fabricating his "wonderful" experiences as a teacher's assistant but speaking quite honestly about his desire to teach and do something truly valuable. He couldn't say if it had done well enough to get him the job however. Now it was just a waiting game.

It wasn't until he dragged himself through his front door that fateful morning that he saw the reply. There, lying innocuously on the doormat, was his future. With slightly trembling hands he picked the letter up and limped to the sagging sofa, collapsing onto it with an audible sigh of relief. He turned the envelope over a few times in his hands, chewing his lower lip before he took a deep breath and picked the envelope open.

As with all long awaited letters, he didn't read it properly, just scanned it, searching desperately for the words that would make or break him.

_Mr Lupin… Thank you… application… St. Grogory's Primary…much consideration… many candidates… competitive… uniquely qualified… we are pleased… _

YES. There it was.

_We are pleased._

Merlin, what beautiful words. He read it properly then, savouring each word, unable to keep the grin off his face. Finally, something to make it all worth it. It wasn't friends, it wasn't family but it _was_ opportunity and Remus was done waiting.

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_**AN:** Quick note regarding Remus' made up qualifications: O levels are what preceded GCSEs in the UK. They're pretty much the same thing- just think OWLS. They're what Remus would have taken had he gone to a muggle secondary school at the time. Historical accuracy, yo._


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thanks for the reviews/favourites/alerts! It's great knowing that people are reading and enjoying. Another short one I'm afraid. I'm in the middle of exam season so don't have much time to write so yeah, it's short chapters or nothing at all. As in my other story, To Possess, I'm including a ****previously section because if you, like me, have an obscene amount of stories on your alert list, it gets a bit tricky keeping track of what's happened. I think that's about it for housekeeping, thanks again for reading.**

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_Previously: Remus has been living in the muggle world for the past few years. Fed up with monotonous badly paid jobs, he forges muggle qualifications and successfully applies for a job at a primary school._

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Harry stared up at the cobwebs on the ceiling, tracing their thousands of interwoven strands with his eyes, fascinated by the symmetry of the spider's creation. He'd never been scared of spiders… or perhaps he had been once, but he'd grown out of it now. Either way, he wasn't scared of them, not like Dudley. He liked them really.

He watched one move stealthily across its creation, hidden in the corner of his cupboard.

He thought it would be quite nice to be a spider really, being able to build a home just like that in a safe little corner somewhere.

Thundering footsteps from above sent the web shaking, dislodging the arachnid. Harry let it scuttle into his hand and returned it to its home.

Maybe not so safe then.

His door was opened with a crash and a large hand reached blindly in, grasping for Harry's arm and dragging him out.

"Bathroom, now." His uncle hissed. "School starts in thirty minutes and I will not have you making Dudley late." He shoved Harry hard towards the stairs, sending him into a brief stumble before he found his footing.

Harry hated this day. He was in year two now so he knew what the first day was like. Dudley would get a sloppy kiss on the cheek from Aunt Petunia and hair ruffle from Uncle Vernon, while Harry would get a glare and a stern warning against any 'funny business'. He never knew what that meant. Then he'd sit down and no one on his table would talk to him because Dudley would hit anyone who did. So he'd keep his head down and work hard on his numbers and letters, even though he found them hard and everyone else was laughing and talking around him. Last year, Miss Lyons always gave him a sticker and wrote well done on his work but she was teaching year three now and not him.

Playtime was the worst though. He wasn't allowed to sit inside, so he had to go outside where he'd spend every break and lunch hiding from Dudley and his friends who would always chase him or call him names if they saw him. So he normally just hid behind a wall and hoped he wasn't found until it was time to line up to go back inside.

Then it was more lessons until finally the day was over and Aunt Petunia would collect him and Dudley from the playground, giving Dudley another kiss and him another glare.

And that was why he hated first days at school. It always led to second days. Then third.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Remus was nervous. He kept telling himself he had nothing to fear, after all, these were six year olds, not death eaters, but anxiety was nevertheless unavoidable. He'd done his best to be prepared. He'd studied his predecessors lesson plans, ensured he was confident in his own knowledge and dressed in his best trousers and shirt, but left off a tie and a jacket; he wanted to look presentable but not formal. None of that quelled his nerves though. He'd lied about his qualifications and, under his own volition, been chucked in at the deep end. He had no idea how to teach and more pressingly, no idea how to control a room of thirty boisterous six year olds.

He glanced at the clock above the colourful display of children's drawing adorning the back wall of the classroom. Five minutes to nine. Time to collect the children. He walked outside, squaring his shoulders and trying to exude confidence as he saw the playground full of children slowly forming themselves into lines. Children could smell fear apparently. Or perhaps that was dogs.

"Year two!" He called. "Line up in front of me please."

And, much to his surprise, they did. He allowed himself a small smile. Maybe this would be okay. He noted everyone seemed to be lined up.

"Alright, if everyone could follow me, please."

And again, they did. He felt like a mother duck leading the chattering group down the school's corridors to his classroom.

He instructed them to sit on the carpet at the front of the room while he stood next to his desk.

"Good morning, I'm Mr Lupin." He said to them with a smile.

"Good morning Mr Lupin!" They chorused back.

_Merlin, this was easy._

"I'm going to take the register quickly, then we can get on with the day. Please let me know if I say your name wrong."

Blank faces stared back at him.

_Right._

"Erm… Finbar?"

"Just Fin, Sir." Said a small red haired boy. Remus nodded, noting, '_just Fin'_ on the register.

"Just Fin, it is. Sarah?"

"Here, Sir." A blonde girl with rather thick glasses said timidly.

"Dudley?" He asked, looking around expectantly.

"Yeah." Said a sullen voice from the back, belonging to a fat, pink faced blonde boy. _Keep an eye on that one, _thought Remus. He looks like bully bait. Overweight children were often teased in his experience.

"Ashraf?"

"Yes, Sir."

And so on and so forth. He wondered how long it was going to take him to put a name to every face.

He glanced down at his register again.

He blinked hard.

_Harry Potter. _

It had to be coincidence. Potter was a common enough name, of course. But Harry would be six now…

He cleared his throat.

"H-Harry?" He scanned the room looking for the name's owner.

"Here, Sir." Said a meek voice from the back of the room, so far in a corner he'd missed him all together.

He froze. Jet black messy hair, a thin face, glasses. The boy was a young James. But those eyes. Big, green and unmistakably those of Lily Evans… or Harry Potter.

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**AN: Hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a review, it's great to get feedback on what I'm writing, positive or negative. **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Another short one, I'm afraid but exam season's nearly over so hopefully some longer updates on the way. I'm not entirely satisfied with the chapter due to some problems with writing from the perspective of a six year old. Still, hopefully you enjoy it despite my own reservations. Thanks for reading and thanks so much for the reviews/favourites/alerts. The response to this story has been amazing and really put a smile on my face. I'm pretty sure I've replied to everyone by PM, if not, I will try to get around to that as soon as I can. Anyway, without further ado...**

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Previously: Remus has lied to get himself as job as a teacher at a primary school. Harry is lonely and mistreated and not particularly looking forward to his first day of school. Remus recognises Harry as he takes the register.

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The new teacher was looking at him very strangely. He'd been doing it all day too. Every time he thought Harry wasn't paying attention his eyes were drawn to him like magnets. It was weird and Harry didn't like it.

Lots of things about this new teacher were weird. His face and hands were scarred for one, which Harry thought looked quite cool. His trousers were patched worse than Harry's own though and that was definitely not cool, Harry would know.

But he didn't pick on Harry in class, which was something he supposed. In fact, he didn't really talk to Harry at all.

"Here, Sir." He'd said during the register and the teacher had frozen. It was a look Harry had never seen before. He went _pale_, like he was ill and just stood in one place, not really moving. Harry thought it was quite rude actually. Everyone else had got a nod and a smile and he only got stared at.

Eventually Mr Lupin had cleared his throat and finished the register, going through the last names much faster and not looking up from the register until he'd finished, gaze roaming around the class but skipping over Harry.

Aunt Petunia did that when they were having dinner. She'd talk to Uncle Vernon and smile at Dudley and look at the clock behind Harry's head. Sometimes it would be a day before anyone said anything to him.

The first lesson had been alright. It was literacy and Mr Lupin had asked them all to write a story, which was good because Harry liked to write. He'd started to write about a boy that went to space and made friends with aliens. He didn't know what happened then so he stopped. Mr Lupin didn't say anything.

"Harry…" Said a voice behind him, jolting him out of his thoughts. He'd been doodling patterns absently in his margins for the last while.

"It's break. You should go outside and play."

Silently, Harry nodded, keeping his eyes to the floor. He'd hoped Mr Lupin would keep ignoring him and let him stay inside. No such luck though. He shrugged on his coat and walked to the door, pretending he couldn't feel the gaze drilling into the back of his head, preparing himself for whatever Dudley had prepared for him.

O0o0o0o0

Remus watched the boy walk away.

He couldn't do this. He couldn't teach Harry. It was them. Every time he looked at Harry he saw them and he couldn't stop himself looking.

And every time he looked, he knew with every fibre of his being that something was horribly, horribly wrong. His clothes were too big, he was too small. His eyes should have been lively, not dull. He should have leapt for the playground with the other children, not sat and stared determinedly at his desk.

It had made Remus talk to him. He hadn't wanted to. At all. He'd wanted to run and run and run until those accusing green eyes stopped hounding him. He'd spoken to him though, only a sentence really, and it had physically exhausted him.

Harry hadn't replied though. Just clenched his jaw slightly, put on his flimsy coat and walked outside, pausing briefly at the door.

Remus allowed his eyes to follow him. He was practiced in his movements, skirting around the edge of the playground, eyes darting nervously, staying on the periphery until he reached a bench in a secluded corner. Remus wondered what he'd do then.

Would he meet a friend? Read maybe?

He didn't do anything though. Just sat there, eyes on the playground, watching the other children play.

Yes, thought Remus, something was very, very wrong.

And also very, very not his business, as Dumbledore had told him repeatedly after Lily and James had died. He could have nothing to do with Harry because the boy needed to grow up away from magic and his past.

He could have nothing to do with Harry because it broke his heart every time he looked at the boy.

Movement in the playground caught his eye. Harry had leapt to his feet, eyes wildly staring at a point in the distance. Remus followed his eyes and saw the fat boy, Dudley he thought his name was, making his way towards Harry. Odd. Why did Harry look scared? The fat boy approached Harry's bench, a friend, Piers, loitering at his shoulders. Piers laughed at something Dudley said as Harry's eyes darted around. Looking for exits?

Out of nowhere, and with surprising speed, Harry leapt up, and darted to the side, missing Piers' grasping hands but not Dudley's. In a flash the fat boy had Harry pushed up against the bench, bending him backwards over it.

Remus was out of the door in seconds, sprinting across the playground in a rather undignified manner.

_Get off him get off him get off him_

"Dudley, let go of him!" He shouted as he approached, cold anger fuelling him.

The fat boy dropped Harry's collar in a blink.

"He started it!" he cried, "He hit me."

Remus' fists clenched.

_Just a child, Remus. He's just a child._

"He did no such thing." He hissed. He paused, allowing himself to calm down slightly. "Dudley, Piers, go and wait with Mr Bourne." He indicated the teaching assistant on playground duty that afternoon that was leaning against the wall, examining his fingernails.

"I'll deal with you in a moment."

That was a promise.

As the two boys slouched off, he looked at Harry, who had slumped back onto the bench when Dudley had released him. He still looked scared.

Remus crouched down, ignoring the pain in his knees and looked at Harry.

"Are you hurt?" He asked.

"I'm fine." Harry's voice was soft but filled with a steel Remus hadn't expected.

He frowned slightly.

"Harry, has this happened before? You can be honest with me."

"No. That was the first time. I'm fine." He repeated, getting to his feet.

"Sorry, Sir, I need the toilet." With that, he walked across the playground and vanished inside.

Something was very, very wrong.

Five hours later and it was the end of the day. He'd given Piers and Dudley what he'd hoped was the bollocking of a lifetime and sent them to the headteacher. Harry had continued to be a silent present in the back of the class, diligently keeping his head down.

Remus sighed and thanked Merlin the day from hell had finished. He would hand in his notice the next day, he promised himself. He couldn't see Harry like that and do nothing as he'd sworn to Dumbledore all those years ago. For the greater good. He'd leave and that would be the best outcome for all.

He was going to sort out that little shit Dudley once and for all though.

He watched as a tall, thin woman embraced the boy and attacked.

"Mrs Dursley?" he addressed her, striding over to the family.

She looked him up and down, eyebrows raised.

"Yes."

"I'd like to talk to you about an incident today in the playground."

Dudley fidgeted anxiously, pulling his mother's hand.

"Mum, let's go."

"One minute Duddiekins."

Oh, he was going to be sick.

Her eyes flicked back to him

"What happened then? Was Dudley hurt? Were you hurt Dudley?" she cupped the boys pudgy cheeks, looking for injury.

"No, he wasn't. He hurt someone actually. He pushed a boy against a bench, completely unprovoked and I have a suspicion that this wouldn't be the first time."

Mrs Dursley looked startled.

"Well, I'm sure they were just playing." She grabbed Dudley's hand, dismissing him in a movement. "Come along Dudley, I have dinner waiting at home. Pork chops, your favourite."

Remus stood there gaping as she towed the smirking boy across the playground.

She paused, looking around like she'd forgotten something.

"Harry!"

And from a small distance away, standing previously unnoticed, Harry stumbled after her.

_He lived with them. Oh Merlin he lived with them._

"Have you been telling horrible stories about Dudley again?" She asked as they vanished around the corner.

Something was very, very wrong.

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**AN: Hopefully that wasn't too dire. It'd be great to hear from you all, positive or negative, all feedback is appreciated. Cheers.**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: A slightly longer chapter this time as a thank you for all your kind reviews.**** Quick clarification for non-Uk readers, OFSTED are mentioned in the chapter, and they are the official body for inspecting schools and go round to schools every five years or so and give the school a rating. For teachers and schools in general, OFSTED inspections are a massive deal. Hope you enjoy it!**

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_Previously: Remus has lied his way into a job as a teacher where it turns out Harry is a student. Having witnessed an incident of Dudley bullying Harry, Remus attempted to challenge Petunia about her son when she came to pick him up from school. She wouldn't listen and in the process of speaking to her, Remus discovers that Harry is living with the Dursleys. Remus is unimpressed by this turn of events._

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"Remus, you're going to have to drop it."

Remus sat opposite the head teacher of the school, a thin, balding man who would have been tall if he didn't stoop. His face had a light sheen of sweat that made his glasses slip down his long nose causing him to impatiently shove them back up with trembling fingers.

"No. I absolutely will not drop it."

"Look, you don't understand. Dudley… I know he isn't a kind child-"

Remus snorted.

"Hear me out Remus. He isn't a kind child, cruel even, I'll grant you that. If you want to take away his break times or his Friday afternoon free time, you have my full support, but it_…_it _cannot _go further than that." The head teacher responded in a tone that Remus assumed was meant to project authority.

Remus leant forward in his chair.

"I want him excluded David."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not excluding him. Not for this. It was a game gone wrong, a tussle between boys. If I excluded every lad for that, I wouldn't have a school left."

Remus frowned.

"It was bullying, David. I saw it and I could absolutely guarantee that that wasn't the first time something like that's happened. And you know it."

The headteacher looked down, fiddling with his hands.

"What's this really about?" Remus asked, suddenly curious. Something strange was going on with David Emmerson. The school was supposed to have a zero tolerance bullying policy. Apparently except where Dudley Dursley was involved.

Remus was not normally the type to antagonise his boss on the first day of the job but this was different. This was about Harry. Harry who was living with those _vile_ people. He knew full well there was nothing he could do about that, Dumbledore had been rather firm on the matter all those years ago. What he could do something about though was that horrible little toerag, if David Emmerson would stop protecting him.

David glanced up from his hands, fleetingly meeting Remus' eyes before looking away.

"Look, Remus… it's… well, erm…" he cleared his throat. "Our last OFSTED report wasn't… great, or even good really. We got an unsatisfactory over all. We're going through special measures, everything's under review. It's been a hard few months for us all."

"And this has what to do with Dudley, exactly?" Remus urged.

David looked intensely uncomfortable, almost cringing in his chair.

"His mother is the chair of the board of governers." He eventually mumbled.

Remus collapsed back into his chair, thoughts streaming through his mind. It all made sense. David, the utter coward, was afraid to cross the woman who had the power to remove his already tenuous position in the school. No wonder the man was a nervous wreck; the school was on the verge of shutting down and who was going to employ this shambles of a man anywhere else.

It made Remus very, very angry.

"You understand that a child is being made deeply, deeply miserable for the sake of your continued employment don't you David? Your employment where the protection of children is quite literally in the job description."

David's face hardened and for a second Remus could almost see how the man had become a headmaster in the first place.

"I don't do it for my own sake. I have my own children who depend on me to feed them and clothe them. That has to be my primary responsibility. If I lose my job…

"I hate seeing what that boy does to Harry as much as you do Remus but I can't do anything about it. Or, well, I can, but I won't. When it comes down to it, it's me and my family or Harry and I hate to say this, but the decision is easy.

"So drop it Remus. No good can come of this."

Remus looked down at the desk in front of him, tracing the gently curving pattern of the wood, willing himself over and over not to shout. His calm was his weapon and he'd use it well.

"I will take this to an authority."

"You won't. The authority is the Board of Governers. Higher than that is the council and I will swear blind you are lying. Harry'll deny everything too. You don't have a leg to stand on here Remus. Please… please just leave it."

The man was absolutely right. There was nothing Remus could do. Harry would deny the bullying, he was living with the boy for Merlin's sake and things would certainly get worse if Harry complained. But Remus would not sit idly by. He'd been doing that for years now and the time had most certainly come to do something and getting Harry away from Dudley was going to be the first step. All he needed to do was get a confession from Harry. He thought of the quiet boy that sat at the back of the classroom, who wouldn't say a sentence if a word would suffice. This was going to be hard.

oOoOo

"What did you say to them, boy?" uncle Vernon hissed in his face.

Harry had been waiting for this since he got home. He'd seen aunt Petunia telling Vernon something in hushed tones, gesturing angrily at him and he _knew, _just knew that the interrogation was inevitable.

"Nothing. I swear I didn't tell him anything."

Large hands pushed him back into the wall, not hard, but firmly enough for Harry to understand the threat.

"Good. And why didn't you tell them anything."

"Because there's nothing to tell." Harry recited, turning his head away from uncle Vernon's rancid breath.

"That's right. You'll do well to remember that. I'll not have some upstart teacher sniffing around my family because of your _lies._" He spat the last word, showering Harry's face with spittle.

_He wasn't a liar. _

"They're not lies!" he protested.

A hand slammed into the side of his head, making his ears ring.

"They are lies. And if I hear them again you won't be eating for a week."

With that, uncle Vernon grabbed him by his collar and threw him into his cupboard, locking the door behind him.

"Not another word from you unless you want to feel my belt."

Harry knew he didn't mean it. He always threatened him like that but he never followed through. That didn't stop Harry from shaking though. He'd watched his uncle go purple with rage enough times to know that one day he would snap and he didn't want to provoke that.

As he sat in his cupboard he thought about Mr Lupin, the strange new teacher who shouted at Dudley. He'd never seen a teacher that angry before and it'd had frightened him. There was something in his eyes that just screamed _dangerous_ and Harry was incredibly grateful that they hadn't been aimed at him. Instead, he'd looked at Harry with kindness and gentleness and something in Harry wanted to tell him everything.

He wouldn't though because whatever he said about that fat pig would just get him into trouble with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and he really, really didn't want that.

oOoOoOoO

The next day at school saw Remus Lupin sitting at his desk with a fixed expression of cheerfulness. Today he was going to crack Harry, he was determined. And for that, he'd need to get him away from Dudley.

"Harry!" He called out as the children left in a rush for break. "Can I have a quick word?"

Harry nodded mutely and walked up to Remus' desk.

"Pull up a chair, Harry. Don't worry, you're not in trouble."

Harry looked slightly reassured and grabbed one of the chairs from the table, dragging it to where Remus sat.

"I just wanted to say, that if you wanted, you could stay in here for break times. If Dudley's giving you a hard time."

Harry looked briefly grateful but his expression shut down at the mention of Dudley.

"He's not giving me a hard time. It's fine." He studied the floor.

This was going to be harder than Remus thought.

"Do you live with Dudley, Harry?"

The boy glanced up, studying Remus.

"… Yes." He said after a pause. That was a step.

"But he's not your brother?"

"No, he's my cousin."

_Cousin? Good lord, he's living with Lily's sister. No wonder the poor boy's terrified._

Remus tried to smile reassuringly.

"Do you like living with him?"

"Yes." Harry answered too quickly

Remus sighed, and then offered Harry another smile.

Perhaps it was time for a new tactic.

"When I was a bit older than you, I had to stay with my cousin for the summer while my parents were away for work."

In truth it had been because his parents were scouring the globe for a way to treat his condition, but Harry didn't need to know that.

"My cousin was a girl called Mary. She was my age but about twice my size, she was _massive, _Harry. They had a pond in their garden, and every single day I would end up in it. Every single day for an entire summer, can you imagine that? Scared a good few ducks."

Harry giggled into his hand and Remus felt his heart warm.

He'd hated Mary with something of a burning passion and he could only imagine what Harry had to deal with living with a child like that all year round. That boy was going to _love _Hogwarts.

"I got my revenge though. I'd been planning it for ages. I'd plotted every single detail, bought all the supplies I'd need and gotten ready for the moment I'd strike. One night, when everyone in the house was sound asleep, I snuck into the bathroom and got her shampoo. I squeezed everything that was in the bottle down the sink."

Harry looked unimpressed.

"That's not all Harry." Remus laughed. "I replaced it with hair dye. It was green if I remember correctly. Truly, Harry, I have never seen someone so angry but getting shouted at isn't as scary when they look like the Grinch."

Harry really laughed then.

He chewed his lip, and looked like he was considering something hard. He glanced behind him quickly then back at Remus, a sparkle visible in his bright green eyes and voice a whisper.

"Once," He started conspiratorially, leaning towards Remus "I was doing the washing and I deliberately put all of Dudley's white pants in with Aunt Petunia's new red skirt and now all of his pants are pink!"

Remus laughed. James would have been proud.

Harry did the washing though? Somehow it didn't shock him.

"It's not always easy living with cousins Harry, I know that better than most. If you ever need anyone to talk to, come to me. From one prankster to another."

Harry looked contemplative for a moment.

"Okay."

_Victory._

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**AN: Thanks for reading, I really hope you enjoyed it. I had a reviewer for the last chapter who was wondering whether I was going to up the severity of the Dursley's abuse. I might marginally but it won't be extreme, pretty much canon typical I reckon. Reviews are wonderful, wonderful things so please leave them. Cheers, all.**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Another short chapter I'm afraid but one with a fair bit of plot progression. Feedback is always appreciated and particularly with this chapter for reasons which will probably become obvious.**

**Thanks for the reviews/alerts/favourites. They legitimately put a smile on my face for the rest of the day. I haven't had the time to reply to them all but please know I'm very grateful.**

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_Previously: Remus has lied his way into a job as a teacher where it turns out Harry is a student. Having witnessed an incident of Dudley bullying Harry, Remus attempted to challenge Petunia about her son when she came to pick him up from school. She wouldn't listen and in the process of speaking to her, Remus discovers that Harry is living with the Dursleys. He reports the incident to the __head teacher, David Emmerson, who does nothing because Petunia is the Head of the Board of Governors and will sack him if he kicks Dudley out. Remus speaks to Harry about his own experiences of bullying when he was a child and Harry begins to confide in him._

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Remus rummaged urgently through the papers on his desk, dropping several in the process. He swore at his disorganisation as he opened the drawer, rifling through that before slamming it in frustration.

_Bollocks_.

It was 3.45 on Wednesday afternoon and Remus had lost his lesson plan. He'd been teaching for two weeks and those plans were _everything; _he had no other frame of reference apart from those plans he'd laboured over for hours and hours.

Without them he could not teach because he was not a teacher. He was unqualified, inexperienced and completely unable to wing it, all of which was going to become horribly clear to everyone tomorrow.

"Looking for something?"

Remus looked up from his desperate searching to see a young woman leaning against the door with a stack of papers in her hands.

"Please tell me those are lesson plans." He pleaded, moving round his desk.

"They are indeed," She said with a grin, passing them into Remus' sweaty, trembling hands "You left them in the staff room earlier."

Remus could have kissed her.

The staff room! How had he not thought of that? He wanted to hold those papers to his chest and never let go.

"Thank you! Thank you so much. I think you may have just saved me from a rather horrible fate tomorrow."

The woman leant against the doorframe, shoving a hand in the pocket of her jacket.

"Death by lack of preparation? Well, we've all been there; I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's Remus right?"

Remus was slightly embarrassed he didn't know her name.

"Yes, that's right. I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name. "

"Kia." She reached out a hand with another smile. "Nice to meet you properly."

Remus transferred the lesson plans awkwardly to his other arm to shake the hand of his saviour.

"You've got year two then?" She nodded at the papers. "Sorry, had a quick flick through, couldn't resist." She clarified at Remus' slightly confused expression.

"Ah, yes. Nice bunch… broadly speaking."

"And then there's Dudley." She laughed, reading his expression. "A complete terror that one. I had that class last year and that boy! Wouldn't leave poor Harry alone. Never understood why David didn't do anything about it, the amount of times I've sent him to his office."

So _this_ was Harry's teacher from last year. Had Remus inadvertently found a potential ally?

"His mother is the head of the Board of Governors." said Remus, looking to see her reaction. He was not disappointed.

Her eyebrows shot up.

"_What_? Are you serious? _Christ, _no wonder David's terrified to do anything."

"Yes, who'd have thought it- St Grogory's: a hotbed of corruption."

She shook her head.

"Poor Harry." She looked at him intensely for a moment, weighing him up. "Can I come in? I think… well, there are some things you might want to know."

Remus gestured with a broad sweep of his arm for her to come in. There was only one normal sized chair in the room so the two took seats in the small chairs around an equally miniature table, knees sticking up comically.

Kia took a deep breath.

"Okay, so you know Harry lives with his Dudley and his aunt and uncle?"

"I do, yes." Remus responded, eager for any information regarding Harry's home life.

"Remus, that boy is not treated well there-"

"Well, yes, that's evident."

She frowned at his interjection.

"No, it's more than just Dudley bullying him. The boy is too small. I have seen many, many skinny children in my time and I know what an unnaturally little boy looks like. Compare him to Dudley. I have never seen a person so perfectly spherical. He almost rolls. How can two boys growing up in the same home be so different?"

"You think Harry's _starved_?"

Kia bit her lip, and looked thoughtful for a moment.

"…Yes. Yes, I do. There's no other explanation for it."

Remus could have cried then. How could they? How could anyone hate a child enough to starve it?

He considered himself an empathetic man. He had always understood Petunia's hatred for Lily- to her Lily was different: special and scary in equal measure. She had everything Petunia didn't and it was that as much as Lily's magic that terrified her. So Petunia began to despise her sister for inhabiting a world that she could only dream of, a world that she learned to hate. He understood that, he truly did. But to hurt Lily's child?

_Unforgivable. _

"Remus, are you okay?" Kia said, breaking into his thoughts.

He looked up from the table.

"Yes. Well, as fine as I can be I suppose." He said very quickly.

She quirked an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?"

"Not even remotely."

She reached over and touched his arm.

"Look, I know I've known you all of five minutes but you seem like the decent sort… like you really care about the kids. I've wanted to approach you about the Harry situation for a while now but I didn't know what your reaction would be."

"Did I pass the test?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Her hand was still on his arm, its weight comforting.

"I think we can do this, Remus. I think we can get the bastards."

He smiled. Privately though, he had his doubts.

OoOoOoO

Six hours later and he was drunk, sitting on his uncomfortable sofa looking at a picture of him, Sirius, Peter and the Potters. As soon as he'd gotten home he'd grabbed it, desperate to look at those untroubled faces. _Merlin, _we were all so happy, he thought as James pressed a smacking kiss to Lily's cheek.

Remus rarely drank but when he did, he did so with purpose. That day had been too much.

_Too much. _

Baby Harry waved a podgy hand out at him and Remus touched it with his finger.

_Starved. They starved him._

He thought of the way Harry had leapt at Remus' offer of break time companionship. The boy had barely left his classroom in the past few days, sometimes telling Remus about a prank he'd played, or a dream he'd had. Other times he'd read or draw as they sat in companionable silence. Remus enjoyed it immensely. Sometimes he'd close his eyes as Harry spoke in his low excited tones and imagine that he was visiting Lily and James, and Harry knew who he was.

Then he'd open his eyes and crash back into the world where Harry was living with people who hated him and he could do nothing about it.

Tearing his eyes away from the photograph, now bent at the edges from over handling, he looked around his flat. A mug on the table. A plate in the sink. A half empty glass of something cheap and highly alcoholic next to him.

Single, solitary, soulless.

_Too much. Too much._

He staggered to his feet grabbing his wand and clumsily stowing it in his pocket.

_Harry being slammed against a bench._

He span on the spot, disappearing with a crack and a lurching sickness, appearing a second later in the office of David Emmerson.

_Harry watching other children play_

There was a likely looking filing cabinet in the corner which Remus stumbled towards, knocking his hip on the desk on the way past. He blasted the lock, unworried with subtlety and began rifling through the files.

_Harry dwarfed in his oversized clothes_

Allen

He flicked forwards.

Colston, Creeves

A few more folders

Danes, Duke, _Dursley._

_Harry being dragged along behind Petunia_

He grabbed the file, flipping to the contact information. The writing swam into focus.

4 Privet Drive.

_He had them._

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**AN: So, thoughts? Do you want to see any more of Kia? Is this moving too damn fast? Let me know. Cheers x**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Apologies for the slow update, life and laziness got in the way. Thank you all so much for the reviews, it's wonderful to know that people are reading and enjoying this. A special thank you to Lupinsboggart (the author of Bitten by Truth, a Lily/Remus story you should definitely check out because its an under appreciated pairing and an under appreciated story) without whom you'd probably be waiting significantly longer for an update. Hope you like this chapter. It is officially all kicking off.**

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_Previously: Remus has lied his way into a job as a teacher where it turns out Harry is a student. Remus witnesses Dudley bullying Harry and unsuccessfully tries to get him expelled, learning in the process that Harry lives with the Dursleys and that the school's head teacher is deeply corrupt. Remus speaks to Harry about his own experiences of bullying when he was a child and Harry begins to confide in him. Remus meets Harry's old teacher, Kia, who shares Remus' fears about Harry's home life and confides in him that she thinks Harry is dangerously neglected, if not abused. Remus, furious at this, gets extremely drunk, breaks into the school records and finds out where the Dursleys live._

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His body lurched as he appeared on the unassuming suburban street sending his stomach into an unpleasant spin. Holding in his nausea, he stumbled forward, situating himself well within the shadows but where he could see the house. The net curtains were drawn tight but he could see figures moving around behind them, lit by the flickering firelight within. It was not an image of warmth though; the shadows were long and misshapen, larger than life.

_"Vanesco." _He incanted as he neared the house, the familiar feeling of an egg cracking over his head sending shudders down his spine.

This was it. Time to see how the other half lived – even if they didn't know he was there.

He rang the doorbell.

Heavy steps and heavier breathing approached the door.

"Who the bloody hell could that be at this time?"

The door flew open, revealing a hulking figure whom Remus could only assume was Vernon Dursley. His small eyes looked straight through Remus and scanned the street angrily.

"_Kids." _He cursed quietly. "You're not clever you know!" He shouted into the street, stepping out of the door to try to spot the imagined miscreants.

Remus grasped his opportunity and with surprising grace considering his inebriation slid past Mr Dursley and into the hallway of the semi-detached house.

"Who was it Vernon?" asked a reedy voice from inside the sitting room.

"No one. Knock down ginger probably. Children these days are out of control. I say bring back caning. Bit of discipline never hurt anyone."

Mrs Dursley sniffed in agreement as Mr Dursley retreated back into the living room, easing his massive form back onto the large sofa.

Remus, treading as quietly as he could, began his ascent up the stairs. He had to find Harry's room. If he was eventually going to get Harry out of here, he'd need to know where Harry slept, so he could get him out without alerting the Dursley's. He'd talk to Harry first of course, but he wanted a good idea of how he was going to pull of his escape in advance.

He stumbled slightly on the stairs and stopped dead, listening intently for signs he'd been heard. The television continued to blare from the living room though. He was safe.

He should not have attempted this drunk.

Without further incident he reached the landing. There were four rooms that led off from it, one of which he could immediately dismiss as the toilet. It was one of the other three firmly shut doors that had to conceal Harry.

Drawing his wand, he approached the nearest one and with a wince pushed down the handle, praying that it wouldn't squeak. He breathed a sigh of relief as the door silently opened, the whisper of the wood against the thick carpet the only sound.

He peered in tentatively.

A large and empty bed, a dressing table, a ostentatiously big wardrobe, a chair with newly ironed shirts hung over the back. Mr and Mrs Dursley's room without a doubt. He beat a hasty retreat, returning to the landing and closing the door behind him with a barely audible click.

The next door then perhaps.

It was again thankfully silent and just as unforthcoming. A single bed this time with a short round figure tucked under the space-themed duvet. Glow-in-the-dark stars covered the ceiling, still shining slightly, just illuminating a desk with a computer on it, strewn with games. The carpet was equally littered with toys. It was a wonder how Dudley even got across room without treading on anything, for Dudley's room this clearly was.

The last room then. This was it.

Remus took a deep breath and opened the door.

Toys. That was all that was in there. Heaps upon heaps of toys: board games, teddy bears, action figures, even a bike.

_What? Where was Harry?_

"Boy!" Came a deafening shout from downstairs.

Remus spun around, walking quickly to the stairs, steadying himself on the banister as he peered over to see what was happening.

"Boy!" Mr Dursley screamed again as he burst out of the kitchen, tearing open the door below Remus and reaching blindly inside.

As he dragged a bleary eyed Harry out of the cupboard, Remus felt his stomach plummet.

_The cupboard. They keep him in the cupboard. What would Lily and James…_

"You live on our charity, you ungrateful brat. When I tell you to do the washing up, you do it. Should have left you on the doorstep." He grabbed Harry by the ear and hauled him towards the kitchen.

"I'm sorry Uncle Vernon. I forgot, I'm sorry." He squeaked, eyes watering.

"Not good enough."

Remus followed behind them, panic rising.

_What should he do? _He only came here to scout the place out. He felt weak and helpless as Vernon shoved Harry into the kitchen before seizing him by the hair and hissing into his face.

"You'll do the washing up now. Then you will mop the floor. Then you will dust the front room. If you do it properly you might eat tomorrow."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon."

It was the slight tremor in Harry's response that made him do it. The one that indicated complete terror; a well restrained sob. Remus was not a man prone to violence. In fact he hated it. It was such an integral part of him that one night every month that the rest of the time he pushed it back, burying any and all aggression under layers of steady composure, but In that moment, as he tried to reconcile the sight of Harry holding back tears, shaking like a leaf, and his memory of a giggling baby in his mother's arms, he couldn't physically restrain himself from slamming his fist into the man's jaw, from punishing the brute that would hurt a child.

And _Merlin _was it satisfying. That _crack_ as his fist hit home. He could live on that feeling, the satisfaction of delivering vengeance which however insignificant felt like justice done.

But then he began to take note of Harry backing into the corner and Vernon dragging himself to his feet, one hand cupping his jaw, the other grabbing for Harry.

_He was invisible. Vernon thought it was Harry. _

_You fool, Remus._

"It wasn't me. I swear it wasn't me. Please Uncle Vernon, please." Harry begged as his uncle bore down on him.

A gasp from the door drew Remus' attention away. Petunia had come to see the source of the commotion.

"Vernon, what's happening?" She demanded, hand on her heart in shock at the sight of the blossoming bruise on her husband's face.

"He hit me with something. M-magic I tell you. Came out of nowhere. _Little bastard." _He had Harry by the collar now.

"Vernon- Vernon, please put him down." Mrs Dursley stammered to Remus' surprise. "Punish him, but not like this. That old man, D-Dumbledore… you don't know what he'll do. Please."

Mr Dursley spun to look at his wife, piggy eyes full of rage.

"He'll do nothing! We've seen neither hide nor hair of him since we took the brat. I will not stand for this… this _nonsense _in my home. He's a danger to us. His freakishness will get us killed. Think of Dudley. A good hiding's what the boy needs. Mark my words that'll put an end to this." He emphasised his words by shaking Harry hard.

_No._

_"Finite."_

Mrs Dursley shrieked and Mr Dursley let go of Harry in shock, the boy scooting backwards into the corner away from both his Uncle and teacher.

_Poor Harry. _He hadn't wanted to introduce him to magic this way. But what was started was started and Remus was going to do this properly.

He levelled his wand at the huge man, narrowing his eyes.

"You will do no such thing."

Mr Dursley's eyes were fixed firmly on Remus' wand. Remus began to move slowly round the room, putting himself between the Dursleys and Harry.

"Please don't hurt my family." Whimpered Mr Dursley.

Remus' jaw clenched. _How dare he? _He'd threatened to beat his own nephew and he asked Remus not to hurt his family?

"Your family are safe Dursley. But if you come any nearer I can't say the same for you."

Vernon took two large steps back, nodding vigourously.

"Harry?" Remus directed over his shoulder, eyes not leaving Mr Dursley's.

"Yes, Mr Lupin?" Remus could hear the fear in his voice. It hurt but he understood.

"I won't hurt you, Harry. I was friends with your parents. I'm taking you away from here, you'll be safe."

Harry, tellingly, didn't respond.

_What was he doing?_

"Stand over there." He directed the two adults into a corner in the far side of the room with his wand. "Don't move."

He turned around and wrapped a hand around Harry's arm, coaxing him to his feet and beginning to draw him towards the door.

"We're leaving, Harry."

This was not how he'd wanted to do it. A considered explanation would have been ideal followed by an offer of a safe escape. Instead he was dragging a scared little boy away from the only home he knew…

_What was he doing?_

Too late now though, far too late.

A quiet voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Please don't hurt him."

Remus looked towards Petunia with a frown.

It was strange he thought, that she should ask that of him but he supposed it made sense. She despised Harry, yes, but somewhere in her was that bond with her sister that she could never get rid of. She couldn't stop Vernon hurting him, perhaps she couldn't even stop herself, but when it came to a stranger, everything was different.

Remus looked into her eyes and an understanding passed between them.

"I won't."

And with that he hurried towards the door with Harry in tow, struggling against Remus' grip.

"Please let me go, Sir." Harry pleaded.

"I'm sorry Harry, I'm so sorry." He murmured, grip tightening on the little boy's arm. "I can't leave you here."

He pulled him out of the front door and into his arms.

_We need to be away from here. But where?_

Remus wracked his brain for somewhere safe, somewhere they wouldn't think to look.

He seized upon a thought.

_Perfect._

He pulled Harry tight against his chest and with a crack, they were gone.

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**AN: Please let me know what you thought. I hope you find Harry's fear of Remus reasonable. I've always found that stories that have Harry running into the arms of someone who's practically a stranger to them slightly unconvincing because I think anyone would be terrified if someone showed up out of the blue and took you away. Stranger danger ya know. Last couple of chapters have been light on Harry's perspective but next chapter should amend that. Thanks for reading. **


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Thanks for the reviews! Always appreciated.**

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_Previously: Remus, after getting a job as a teacher at Harry's primary school discovers Harry's misery and abuse at the hands of the Dursley's. With the help of a bottle of vodka, he decides to go to the Dursley's house to find out the true extent of the Dursley's mistreatment of Harry and how best to remove him. He goes in disillusioned but once he sees Vernon threatening Harry with a beating, he hits him and reveals himself. He then grabs a very frightened Harry and disapparates them out of there._

* * *

_What was Mr Lupin doing? _

Harry struggled desperately against the arms that were holding him but they just seemed to get tighter and tighter, crushing his body into Mr Lupin's. He'd seen a car getting compacted once in a big iron box and he felt a lot like that. Like all the air inside was being forced from his body. He wanted to beg Mr Lupin to stop it but he couldn't speak; couldn't move.

Then it was over.

As quickly as it started, the crushing feeling vanished, leaving Harry gasping in Mr Lupin's gentler grip in a very different place to where they were before.

That was not Harry's priority though.

"Get off me!" He cried, struggling out of his teacher's hold and backing across the dusty room.

The teacher raised his hands, palms forwards, in a soothing gesture but before Harry could react he was seized with a sudden and intense nausea.

There was nothing he could do to stop himself from doubling over and emptying the meagre contents of his stomach across the floor.

_What was happening?_

Harry didn't think he'd ever been this scared before. He'd _liked_ Mr Lupin but the man had appeared out of thin air and then crushed him and now he was somewhere else and he felt dizzy and sick.

It was the one and only time he'd ever wanted to be back with the Dursley's.

His eyes darted up to the teacher who still stood a good distance away.

_Good_.

"Please let me go."

He just wanted to leave. He didn't think kidnappers listened to the people they'd taken though.

Mr Lupin seemed to be listening though. His head was cocked slightly to one side and his brows were furrowed, like he was considering something.

"Okay, Harry."

_Oh._ That had been a lot easier than he thought.

"But we have to have a conversation first. Then you can decide whether you want to leave. If you decide you do, I promise I will take you straight back to your Aunt and Uncle's."

Harry was fairly sure his mind was already made up but it seemed safest to agree so he could get home faster.

"Okay."

Mr Lupin looked visibly relieved and gave Harry a small smile as he gestured towards a torn sofa. He used to give Harry that smile when he said hello in the morning, or when he'd done a good bit of work or when he'd come over for a talk. He thought Mr Lupin was his _friend._

"Harry, there are many things we need to talk about and many things I need to explain, but for now I'll focus on two of them. At the Dursley's you saw me appear from nowhere and you've noticed that we disappeared and reappeared somewhere else?"

"Yes." Harry muttered, glancing around. He remembered all too well. He could still taste the vomit in his mouth.

They were in what looked like a living room but not one like the Dursley's. Theirs was clean and neat and ordered but this place was… chaotic. There were chairs broken on the floor, and wallpaper marked with deep, violent gouges. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust, like no one had been there for years. Why had he been taken here?

"To put it simply Harry, that was magic."

_Magic?_

"There's no such thing as magic." Harry recited.

Mr Lupin smiled that smile again.

"Oh, but there is Harry. That's how I made myself invisible and how I brought us here. Here, watch." The teacher stood up, pulling a long, thin wooden stick out of his coat pocket. "This is a wand. It channels your magic so you can control it properly. You can do almost anything once you've learned how to use it."

With that, Mr Lupin pointed his wand at one of the broken chairs and said in a clear voice, "_Reparo._" And to Harry's utter astonishment the chair's various parts shot back together again.

"Th-that's… How?" Harry stammered, looking at Mr Lupin with a new fear.

"No one really knows, Harry." He responded, putting his wand back in his pocket. "Some people are born with magic and some people aren't. It does often run in families though; my father was a wizard too. Just like yours."

"My dad could do magic?"

Suddenly the idea of magic had become quite cool. If Harry's _dad _could do it, it couldn't be that bad could it?

"Your mum as well. And, I think I might be right in saying, you too."

Harry's brows furrowed in deep concentration. He couldn't remember ever waving a stick around or fixing chairs like that.

"I don't think I can, Sir."

"Think Harry. Have you ever been very angry or scared and something strange has happened?"

Harry thought about it again. He remembered when Aunt Petunia had cut off all his hair except his fringe but it had all grown back. Or when Dudley and Piers had been chasing him in the playground and he'd ended up on the roof.

Mr Lupin could clearly read the look on Harry's face.

"You see, Harry, you can do magic. And that's how I took you tonight. It's important you understand what magic is so I can explain to you the second thing we need to talk about; your parents."

"You said you knew them."

He'd never met anyone who spoke about his parents before.

Mr Lupin picked up the newly repaired chair and sat down in front of Harry, running a tired hand across his face.

"I did, yes. We went to school together. Your mother and father were two of my best friends. They meant the world to me, both of them, and without them… well, I don't know where I'd be. Here, I have a picture." He reached into his pocket again and after rummaging for a while produced a slightly crumpled photograph, which he handed to Harry. "The pictures move Harry, it's nothing to worry about."

Sure enough, they did. Harry didn't find himself particularly interested by the magic of the photograph. Rather it was the look on his parents' faces as they looked at the baby in their arms, _him_, that captivated him. He'd never seen his parents before. His dad looked a lot like him he realised as he traced a finger across their faces and his mum had the kindest eyes he'd ever seen. And neither of them could look away from the sleeping baby they were holding.

He didn't realise he was crying until a tear hit the photograph, rippling and distorting the ink.

"They loved you so, so much. We all did. The whole world was falling apart; we were at war you see. There was a truly evil wizard that we fought; me, your parents and a group of other people. He hurt a lot of people and caused a lot of sadness and sometimes… well, sometimes it was hard to get out of bed in the morning and face that. But then there was you, a cheerful little boy who made it all worth it."

Harry listened to Mr Lupin's words but never took his eyes away from the photograph.

"That was why I took you tonight. I knew from what you told me at school that your family treated you badly but I had no idea of the extent… I owe Lily and James everything and I could not live with myself if I knowingly left you with those people."

Harry looked up at his teacher then, surprised that the man's eyes were shining with tears. Harry realised he wasn't scary anymore. He was just Mr Lupin, the kind teacher he could talk to about anything and who would always listen. He realised he was _glad_ he was with him then and not the Dursley's. He'd learned more about himself and his parents in the last five minutes than he had in his entire lifetime.

"I've said my bit now Harry and I promised you a choice. You can go back to the Dursley's now if you want, I won't be angry and I'd understand. Or you can stay with me. We won't be living in luxury by any means but I promise I will look after you as best I can. We can talk about your parents as much as you like and I can teach you about magic and, well, anything you want really. And Harry, I will never, ever hurt you, or starve you or-"

"Okay."

"What?" Replied Mr Lupin, clearly shocked.

The choice had become clear to Harry as Mr Lupin had spoke. He wanted to live with someone who could tell him about his parents and about this whole new world he was aching to discover. He wanted someone who was kind and funny and wouldn't shout at him or take away his food or threaten to hit him. He didn't want to go back to the Dursley's at all. He wanted to live with Mr Lupin.

"I'll stay with you."

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**AN: What did you think? I wanted Harry to be initially scared of Remus and magic but also curious and eager for information about his parents. I hope I got the right balance.**


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